The TKNet network was initially designed for site interconnect using private IP addressing (10.44.0.0/16). We’re now migrating to public AMPRNet IP addressing (44.0.0.0/8).

During migration, both address maps (old and new) need to work at the same time. Migrating all servers and all sites is quite a complex task, and may require some time. Some problems or loss of services can occur during this period, particularly with VoIP interconnects (analog repeaters, XLX, D-Star, DMR, Brandmeister, Echolink, etc…). Sorry in advance for the inconvenience.

This mini-site http://tknet.radioamateur.tk is already working on AMPRNet addressing, on a dedicated range for Internet equipments (44.190.11.0/24). The IP address of this WEB server is 44.190.11.7. Adresses are announced in BGP in a data center in Paris, then tunelled to our data center in Ajaccio, where the core of TKNet lives.

WARNING : Due to recent renumbering of talkgroups, the new talkgroup for Corsica is now 20820. The previous TG 20821 is left available for French department 21. The 20820 TG was previously used for emergency QSOs. Those should normally have moved to 2080.

TKNet team is working on migrating the network to AMPRNet / HamNet public IP addressing. The subnet corresponding to the whole island of Corsica will be announced directly in BGP from our data centers of Ajaccio and Bastia. Two central firewalls will control traffic inside TKNet, but also from/to the outside of the world, in order to respect local regulations. The use of public IP addressing will facilitate the operation of D-Star and DMR digital repeaters, because it won’t be necessary to use dual-addressing or address translations anymore. Moreover, local announcement in BGP will ensure lower latency for VoIP flows with our D-Star and DMR partners. Our TKBox system (OpenWRT / OpenVPN) will remain unchanged, and will facilitate “Plug and Play” connections of remote sites and end-users (compared to old AMPRNet techniques such as IP-IP and modded ripd).

This project is under heavy work in our labs, with the help of many other people involved in France and in the world. Please be patient 🙂

TKBox Mini is based on a TP-Link WR710N router. It’s very compact, and has only one Ethernet LAN port. It’s best suited for use on “low-points” to drive a 5 GHz link, or in locations where discretion is required (Internet access hosted by a third-party).

Features are nearly the same as TKBox Standard, which has a bigger enclosure, more LAN ports, and more memory for OpenWRT additional software.

The TKBox is a router running the free operating system OpenWRT. You can connect it behind any Internet access (whatever the operator, whatever the technology : fiber, xDSL, cable, satellite…). The TKBox establishes a connection to the TKNet core via an OpenVPN tunnel. You do not need to have a fixed IP address, and you do not need any special configuration on your Internet box (ie, “port openings”). Connection is fully “Plug and Play”.

Every TKBox uses a dedicated subnet in the TKNet addressing space (10.44.x.y). Every machine connected behind a TKBox can talk with any other machine in any other TKNet location. Thus, two high points connected to TKNet can communicate with each other.

A TKBox can also provide a tiny local WiFi network, with SSID “TKNET”. Any client (PC or smartphone) is automatically connected to the network.

TKNet network uses a “star” or “Hub and Spoke” topology : every TKBox connects to a central gateway located in Ajaccio, and this gateway does the routing job between remote sites. A second gateway is being installed in Bastia, so that the network and routing is fully redundant.

Basically, a TKBox is a low cost commercial router which has been re-flashed with the free open-source operating system OpenWRT. It uses OpenVPN for tunneling to the gateways, and OSPF as a dynamic routing protocol.

Our current model, called TKBox Standard, is based on a TP-Link WR1043ND router. It has 4 LAN Ethernet ports, one WAN port, and external WiFi 2.4 GHz antennas. It’s best suited for a QRA or a high point.

Our high points being connected in IP, we installed an ADS-B aircraft position receiver. It receives beacons transmitted by the aircrafts on 1090 MHz, and sends them to the site FlightRadar24.com. There, it’s possible to follow positions of aircrafts in real time.

The callsign of the “radar” is F-LFKJ2. It’s installed on the high point of Coti-Chjavari, over the bay of Ajaccio